Resourceful Mommy's take on blogging conferences

I have yet to attend a blogging conference. I was all set to hit BlogHer in Chicago with Daria from Boutique Cafe but our sponsor had to pull out at the last minute. Because of the high price tag (conference plus flight plus hotel) neither of us could attend. We ended up moving right around that time so it all worked out for the best, but I was still a bit sad I couldn't go. Then I heard about all the swag drama and how many gals didn't even attend sessions because they were up too late partying the night before at one of many VIP events. I ended up feeling rather glad I didn't fork out the money--if I want to stay up late with girlfriends I can easily do that locally and I get to sleep in my own bed!

With the plethora of blogging conferences out there it's hard to know which ones to attend. For many of us it's not in the budget to attend more than one or two a year. Not only is money hard to come by but also babysitters, and if I'm going to finagle a babysitter (my mother-in-law) and spend my family's grocery money on a conference it sure as heck better be worth it.

That's why I love Resourceful Mommy's recent post: "The End of Blogging Conferences?"

Someone a few years back invented the first blog conference and likewise the blog conference format, not realizing, of course, that the format would be repeated over and over and over. ..."

She goes on to highlight what makes a typical blogging conference and why it needs to change. Plus you simply MUST check out the photo she includes in the post. I am still laughing! I feel her post is spot on and definitely worth a read. And if you're not following Resourceful Mommy on Twitter, follow her here: @ResourcefulMom. In my opinion she's one of THE women to follow.

What's your take on blogging conferences, and even conferences in general? High quantity but low quality? Do you have a favorite conference you make sure to attend?

Boutique Cafe: "Are you ready for your closeup?"

Sometimes posting on multiple sites can get a bit crazy but on days like today I am super glad I do. It means if I was up super late working on client press releases and a Boutique Cafe post the night before and didn't get a post ready for freshly baked, I can easily type up a quick blurb like this one and link you to my recap of Startup Princess' recent Image & Media Academy. And that's exactly what I'm going to do:

"Are you ready for your closeup?"

Thanks to Seth Jenks (@SethJenks) from APX Alarm I was able to attend part of this fabulous event and joined 20 or so other women at a cabin in Sunday for a night of inspiration, renewal and serious note taking. You can read all about it on BoutiqueCafe.com.

I'll be back tomorrow with a recipe for this super tasty tangy pork roast I cooked the other night. It was a hit and the leftovers? Yummy! --Emily

Moms Who Make It on KSL 5!

Though the Moms Who Make It conference took place over a week ago we are still hearing about it on Twitter, most of the tweets now from women excited about MWMI '10. (By the way, mark your calendars for around the middle of June...MWMI '10 will probably take place around June 17th and might even be two days next year!) But just last night we were able to catch KSL 5's coverage of the conference, which featured an interview with Cari Greer, one of our keynote speakers and a source of inspiration for MWMI attendees:

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

We were so excited when we heard KSL 5 would be on site to interview Quinn and a few of our speakers and couldn't wait to see if we would be newsworthy enough to feature. Of course WE knew we were newsworthy; it was a matter of convincing the local news station...and I think we managed to do so! Kudos to Quinn, who's idea for a conference all about empowering and inspiring women was such a success that women are already looking forward to next year's event. What can I say? Quinn totally rocks!

If you want to learn more about Quinn and CreatedByMom.com you can visit the site here. You can also view info about the recent Moms Who Make It conference, including our conference schedule, by clicking here. For more info about Cari Greer and Sole Desires shoe parties, visit SoleDesires.com.

Moms Who Make It: One great recap

As many of you know I have loads of excuses for why I'm only posting a couple times a week, one being Moms Who Make It '09, a conference I helped plan and which took place last Thursday. I am still recovering (who knew I could be THIS exhausted) but the time and energy was well worth it. The conference was a success, and when I say success I'm talking about quality not quantity.

Though the turnout was smaller than we had initially hoped, it was perfect for our first annual MWMI conference. But those small numbers did not make for a "small" conference. The keynote and closing speakers totally rocked and the mini classes and breakout sessions were chock full of helpful, inspiring, useful information. The meals were delicious, the swag bags full of treats and the after party full of sorbet, music and even a little dancing.

I wish I had more time to write but I am still swimming in those other "why I'm not posting regularly" excuses like the sale of our home, the endless hunt for a new home, a trip to California and training for a half marathon. Thank heavens one of our backstage bloggers, or "sexy six" as we like to call them, wrote a post last week that does a fabulous job recapping the conference. It was truly a wonderful day and everyone there is already looking forward to MWMI '10. Believe it or not, so are we!

For some great photos, a sneak peek at the classes and potentially embarrassing after-party video (go, Evonne!) check out Vanessa's post "Just What I Needed--Moms Who Make It Conference" on her site I Never Grew Up. Don't be surprised if it leaves you a little sad...sad you weren't there this year. Good thing you have next year to look forward to! --Emily

P.S. You can see a list of the Moms Who Are Making It winners on Crazi Beautiful's site here!

Vanessa, Quinn and I at the end of the conference.
Can you tell we're super uplifted and inspired?

Less than 24 hours...

...until the Moms Who Make It conference and I am operating on 4 hours of sleep so this is all you're getting as a post for today:

Come to the conference.

You will leave inspired and empowered.

You will love it and I will love seeing you there.

Moms Who Make It: Empowering Creativity in Life & Business
Thursday, July 16th
@ Noah's in South Jordan, UT

For more info and to buy your afternoon/evening tickets click here.

Top 5 reasons why YOU should attend Moms Who Make It

My good friend Quinn is the woman behind CreatedByMom.com and the Moms Who Make It Conference. She just posted a great YouTube video listing the top five reasons why YOU should attend the conference. By the way, we only have our afternoon/evening session tickets left--the mini-class and full-day conference tickets are totally SOLD OUT!

But the afternoon/evening session ticket still gives you the biggest portion of the conference complete with fabulous keynote speakers, a wonderful panel of entrepreneurial women, breakout sessions on everything from motherhood to social media, a truly tasty gourmet dinner AND our mocktail party after the event where you can socialize, network and connect with other women.

The conference is next Thursday, July 16th. Grab your tickets before they're gone!

Do you know a mom who inspires you?

Though Mother's Day has come and gone, moms are still working hard, creating joy and spreading love wherever they go. We would love to honor these women during the Moms Who Make It conference on July 16th. (For more information on the conference, click here.)

For our Moms Who Are Making It spotlight during the conference we’re looking for moms who have had difficult life circumstances but have used them as a catalyst to change their lives for the better. These are moms who have inspired you to look at your own life and think, “I can make it too!”


We will collect all the nominations and randomly select ten to be honored at the conference. Each time a mom is nominated she receives an entry into the drawing, so the more nominations the better her chance of being spotlighted at our event. These moms will receive a full-day ticket to the conference and an invitation to attend the VIP Mocktail Party that night so they can mingle with our speakers and the CreatedByMom.com moms. We're also throwing some fun swag into the mix!

If you know a mom who is “making it,” please email or comment a quick summary (200 words or less) on why you think she should be honored during the Moms Who Make It conference. You can send an email to momswhomakeit {at} createdbymom {dot} com.

If you wonder if you’ll be honored as one of our Moms Who Are Making It, buy your ticket now before the price goes up on July 7th (midnight) OR before they sell out! If you are chosen we will refund your ticket.

We’re looking forward to sharing their stories and being inspired just as you have been inspired by them!

Moms Who Are Making It is sponsored by The Potted Pansy

Phe.mom.enom snags my fave recipe...

...and reviews our fabulous caterer for the Moms Who Make It conference in her recent post. I've taste-tested Utah Celebrations Catering twice now and each time I find my lips chapped from licking them so dang much! The food is fresh, yummy and the most flavorful I've had from a local caterer. Holly (aka @phemom) does a great job recapping the latest Backstage Blogger tasting event on location at Utah Celebrations Catering in Orem. And being a food blogger, her photos and description of the evening are as tasty as the food!


What made me absolutely adore Holly more than I already do (if that's possible) is she somehow managed to wrangle Chef Steven's recipe for his Chicken Marsala. If this dish isn't famous yet, it will be very, very soon. It melts in your mouth, delights the tastebuds and pretty much changes your life. I can't wait to make this recipe at home!


Chicken Marsala
Source: Utah Celebrations Catering, Chef Steven Swallow

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 teaspoons salt
Flour for dredging

2 T unsalted butter
1 T garlic, minced
1 T shallots, minced
1 C sweet marsala wine
1 C heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 T fresh basil, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season chicken breast with the salt and dredge in the flour. In a saute pan on high heat, melt the butter and add the chicken. Sear till the outside is golden brown, remove from the pan, place the chicken in a baking dish and place in the oven to finish cooking through, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

In the same pan the chicken was seared in, saute the garlic and shallots until just slightly golden brown over medium heat. Add the wine to the pan with the garlic and shallots and deglaze and reduce till a syrup consistency is reached. Add the heavy cream and reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a line when a finger is drawn through the sauce. Add the Parmesan cheese and basil and salt to taste. Pour sauce over the chicken and enjoy.

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating." ~Luciano Pavarotti

All images from Phe.mom.enom

#GNO IRL: A girls' night out in real life!

Many of you know I have been super busy helping Quinn, the woman behind CreatedByMom.com, plan the Moms Who Make It conference. Believe it or not I've been dubbed the Director of Communications for this fabulous event, yet I'm doing the lamest job of it considering I've been failing to post all the cool pre-conference events/hype parties/taste-testings we've had. I've left that to our Backstage Bloggers, now more affectionately known as our Sexy Six. But I should definitely be doing my part to "communicate" when it comes to MWMI.

Though it's a bit late to blog about the Noah's VIP Preview night, Utah Celebrations taste-testing, The Sweet Tooth Fairy and Lorken Food Finery hype parties I can tell you about our last pre-conference event:

#GNO IRL!

For those familiar with Twitter you'll recognize the #gno hashtag started by none other than our very own Jyl from Mom It Forward. Every Tuesday night from 7 to 9 pm Pacific time, Jyl hosts #gno complete with a handful of panelists tweeting their answers to questions about a specific topic from preparedness to family activities to photography. The tweets are fast and furious but the night is a lot of fun, often continuing on into the wee hours of Wednesday morning!

On July 7th from 7 to 9 pm we'll have our first ever #gno in real life (IRL)! The topic is "me time"--basically, taking time for yourself (is it possible? does it make you feel guilty? do you even do it?) BUT Jyl will be hosting the July 7th #gno on location at Rock Creek Pizza Co. in Riverton, Utah. It's an official girls' night out online and off and we want YOU to come!

Whether you're an experienced Twitterer or a newbie, come on by for some great conversation and great food. Bring your laptop, computer, iPhone, whatever your Twitter tool of choice--Rock Creek has free WiFi! Or arrive with no intention whatsoever to tweet; come simply to get away with girlfriends for the night. To sweeten the deal Rock Creek Pizza Co. is offering everyone who at the tweetup 25% off her purchase. This is a great excuse for you to try their gourmet chicken garlic pizza, my personal favorite!


Our #GNO IRL is also the last hype party beforeMoms Who Make It on July 16th and marks the last day you can buy your tickets before the price goes up. If you want some serious "me time" then you'll want to schedule a sitter now for July 16th and plan to attend MWMI '09.

I'm planning to be there laptop and appetite in tow. Hope to see you all there! For more details, click here. To RSVP visit the Facebook event page: #GNO IRL "Me Time". --Emily

P.S. If you can't make it we would love for you to join us online and in your pj's!

P.P.S. Only a couple days left to enter to win a Flip video camera and full conference ticket to MWMI '09! We'd love to have you as Boutique Cafe's exclusive conference correspondent!

Will YOU be Boutique Cafe's exclusive Moms Who Make It correspondent?

I can't believe I failed to mention this totally rockin' conference my friend Quinn is putting on this July. As my kids and girlfriends have often heard me say lately, I'd forget my head if it weren't screwed on!

The Moms Who Make It Conference is THE conference of the year and you won't want to miss it! From inspiring and empowering classes to don't-miss networking and socializing--not to mention some serious gourmet food--Moms Who Make It is THE place to be on July 16th in Utah. The coolest thing is we're giving away the opportunity to be Boutique Cafe's exclusive conference correspondent, which comes complete with full conference ticket (including mini classes), invitation to the VIP mocktail party AND a Flip Video camera to record your behind-the-scenes footage of the event!

For details about the conference, the contest and how to enter visit BoutiqueCafe.com and read our latest post, "We want YOU to be our conference correspondent!" Good luck and hope to see you there! --Emily

One of those weeks---and possibly those summers

This week is one of those where I can hardly see the calendar for all the writing. We have much going on, or rather, I have much going on and so posting will be few and far between. Between reviewing local businesses for SassyScoops.com, meeting with the Backstage Bloggers for the Moms Who Make It Conference to celebrating an anniversary and Father's Day, my head is spinning! And that doesn't include totally cleaning, de-junking and organizing our house since there's a pretty good chance we'll be putting it on the market. That's all this week. I didn't even get into upcoming events like helping plan DesignHer Gals' involvement in BlogHer '09!

So forgive me if you don't hear from me as often as you'd like you're used to; it doesn't mean I've forgotten about our wonderful readers. Life is coming at my full force right now and some things are going to have to be put aside for the time being. (There's just no way I can post AND maintain a clean house 24/7 with six people living in it! Do you know what kind of chaos occurs in the time it takes me to sit down and write a post? It's unbelievable!)

If you want to keep up with what I'm doing you can check out SassyScoops.com and Moms Who Make It, a conference which is sure to be the rock star conference of the year! If you're in Utah or within driving distance of the Salt Lake City area, don't miss it. You will leave empowered--I should know...I've seen firsthand the classes, speakers, panel members and perks planned for this conference! Better get your tickets now before they sell out!

Love to you all! Wish me luck and lots of Diet Coke--I'm going to desperately need both! --Emily

Image by idomusic2, shared via Flickr.

"How to Make T.I.M.E. Work for You"

Making time work for me is something in which I'm definitely interested, especially as a mom and business owner. For today's mompreneur monday I wanted to share with you a wonderful workshop Tara McCausland, a Twitter--and now IRL--friend of mine (@myjoyquest--what a fabulous name!) from Joy Quest Coaching is teaching this week. Unfortunately it is an "offline" workshop and held here in Utah, but if you're within driving distance of Mapleton I highly recommend you make the time to attend. The workshop is free and promises to be fabulous. I'm all for anything that helps restore a bit of sanity to my harried life!

Here is the info:

LADIES!

Are you feeling hurried and harried? Come join us for a free workshop on Life Balance and Time Management titled How to Make T.I.M.E. Work for You next week on Thursday, March 19 from 7:00 - 8:30 pm in Mapleton (address and directions below).

The workshop will be geared toward a female audience, but anyone who is interested is welcome to attend.

We'll be discussing how and why to:

PLAN and PRIORITIZE effectively
INVEST in yourself
Make BOUNDARIES with family, friends, and co-workers
ELIMINATE guilt from your life

Refreshments will be served after the presentation. Please RSVP to tara@myjoyquest.com by March 18th if you're interested in attending. Hope to see you there!

Tara McCausland
Joy Quest - Life/Success Coach
myjoyquest.com
801.979.6244

Location
The Croshaw Lodge
1255 S. 1000 E.
Mapleton, UT 84664

Note: The mapquest directions are excellent, but they are currently doing construction on the 2nd Springville exit which is the one you typically take. Instead take the 1st Springville exit, continue on main street until the road forks to the right. Follow the directions as written after that. The Lodge is located behind the Croshaw residence.

I wish I could attend but already have a commitment that night. If any of you are planning on going, please take notes for me! For those in the Salt Lake area who want to carpool, leave a comment below with an email so others can contact you in case they'd like to carpool as well. You could make it a girls night out!

Feel free to email this info to friends and family who might be interested in attending. Tara would also love to have you Twitter about it, post it on Facebook...whatever you can do to spread the word. It is a very timely and important workshop for all of us women, business owners or not! --Emily